Morena Baccarin Interview V

On the sci-fi drama V, actress Morena Baccarin plays Anna, the beautiful leader of the Visitors and a Queen born to rule the advanced alien species whose spaceships have arrived on Earth and positioned themselves over 29 cities around the world. To the people of Earth, she appears to be charming and peaceful, as she offers gifts and invites humans to live on her ships under the guise of friendship, but in reality, Anna is cruel and cunning, ruling the Visitors with an iron fist and manipulating humanity in horrifying and unpredictable ways. No one knows her true intentions on Earth – not the Fifth Column resistence, and not even her daughter, Lisa (Laura Vandervoort) – which makes her all the more dangerous.

While at the party to celebrate the ABC portion of the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, Morena Baccarin talked about working with original V star Jane Badler this season, the continuing changes in her character, the addition of Marc Singer to the cast and the love she still receives from fans of Joss Whedon’s Firefly, on which she played Inara Serra. Check out what she had to say after the jump:

Question: What has it been like to work with Jane Badler this season?

MORENA BACCARIN: She’s really awesome. We went out a few times in Vancouver together. She’s really sweet. We had dinner and hung out. I met her husband, who’s really awesome. It’s been fun to have her around.

How much more head-to-head will their relationship get?

BACCARIN: It gets pretty intense. Even lizards get annoyed by their moms. She does a really good job of pushing my buttons. We have an intense relationship and it gets pretty fueled up. At the end, in the season finale, they really go head-to-head.

When did you know that she would be playing your mother?

BACCARIN: I had been told that they were looking for somebody, right before we started shooting last year. And then, we found out that she was one of the top contenders.

Had you seen her in her original role?

BACCARIN: Of course. Who can forget? She gave me goosebumps growing up. I think I spent many sleepless nights because of her.

Anna has a bit more of an emotional side this season. How do you find that balance?

BACCARIN: I’m trying. I think it’s important to humanize her because that is the interesting struggle for this character – to have her not be human, but struggling with human things. Just like any creature coming into a new environment, you have all these outside forces that influence you.

Who would you love to see as a guest star on the show?

BACCARIN: A lot of us on the show are obsessed with Modern Family and we think there should be a switch. The whole family can come aboard the mothership, and then maybe we can come over for dinner or something.

Is there anything you can hint at, as far as what’s coming up on the show?

BACCARIN: Marc Singer is going to be on the show in the season finale, so that’s really fun. It’s a great reveal. He’s playing one of the leaders of a different branch of the Fifth Column. I won’t reveal exactly what it is, but it’s a much bigger Fifth Column than exists right now.

Will you have any scenes with him?

BACCARIN: I don’t have any scenes with him, no. Not yet.

Is it something that will continue to Season 3, if there is one?

BACCARIN: Yes, definitely. He would be on the show. He’s essentially joining the show, if we get another season.

How will the relationship between Anna and Lisa continue to develop?

BACCARIN: We have an interesting dynamic. She’s actually becoming a little more human and going more towards Erica’s (Elizabeth Mitchell) section than mine. I’m still breeding her to be Queen and wanting her to have that hardness that I have, but I start to see that she maybe doesn’t have that in her. This hybrid baby plays a big role, as something that gets between our relationship, because I start to develop feelings for this little baby.

What was your reaction the first time you saw the effects that they did with your character, especially when her mouth really grows?

BACCARIN: It is totally bizarre. I’m so glad that I rely on amazing people to make me look like that ‘cause it could go terribly wrong. But, it’s weird. It’s awkward shooting it. You have to pretend that you’re doing it, and then you’re not really doing it. But then I saw it and I think they did such a phenomenal job with that. It’s so weird.

Are you able to give a lot of input into your character?

BACCARIN: Not as much as I would like to. I have some ideas and I would like to get them pushed through, but there’s a network and studios and a lot of people to okay anything. I definitely get stuff out there and talk with the writers and producers. Scott Rosenbaum is really sweet and will listen to whatever I say. It’s been fun to create this character.

Was the long break between seasons a concern to you at all?

BACCARIN: It’s always a concern. Of course, I would love to just be pumping out these shows every day and not have to stop, but we needed to reassess and make the shows as good as they deserve to be, and I think we’ve really come back strong this season.

Did you work at all while you were on hiatus?

BACCARIN: For a second there, I was tempted to do a play last summer, but I had to rest. It’s a really big show and it takes a lot, so I took the time off. Maybe now, I can.

Do people still ask you about Firefly and your work on that show?

BACCARIN: They do, all the time. People come up to me and say, “I love V, but by the way, I’m a big Firefly fan.” It’s always what they say.

Do you ever talk to Joss Whedon about working together again, either on another Firefly movie or something else?

BACCARIN: I would say that project is probably dead, but I keep in touch with him. I’m just looking for an opportunity to work with him again. He’s so great.

COLLIDER participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COLLIDER gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive.